Visitation
The following material is presented as a work of a gentleman by the name of Bob D. Smith. He created the bulk of this booklet prior to the mid-1960’s when it was reprinted as a local church work. In the 2005 revision and update, I added new material from Kevin Cauley, Melvin Sapp, and myself, Travis Main. The material is free for your use in evangelism. It covers 12 different target groups and suggestions on how to approach them effectively through the method of visitation.
There are many ways you can visit today!
The ideal congregation is one in which all the members are working and contributing to the planned program of scriptural activities. This is true because: (1) such work is essential to the individual’s fulfilling his mission as a Christian. (2) Such work contributes to the individual’s spiritual vitality; (3) Such a situation means that the Church is instrumental in saving souls, whether they be in God’s fami1y or yet outside. Whatever contributions the Church makes in the community of a social, cultural, or ever benevolent nature are wholly incidental to its concern for souls.
WE NEED TO MEET THE CHALLENGE MORE EFFICIENTLY. The potential of most Church visitation programs is great. A good working force of Christians who want to work for the Lord can accomplish much. Yet, they often need to be meeting this great challenge with more efficiency and devotedness. There are weak and delinquent members of the congregation who need admonition, exhortation, or rebuke. There are a number of families of the Lord’s people represented who are wholly out of duty, not attending anywhere, which we know about. And there are scores of non-members who have shown an interest in some way who need attention, to say nothing of the thousands who have never heard of real, New Testament Christianity.